Classes began at Contra Costa Junior College, West Campus on February 14, 1950.

Beginning enrollment was 500 students.The campus consisted of an assortment of old shipyard buildings, some wooden buildings, no grass, lots of blacktop, and a parking lot with a railroad line running through it (talk about problem parking!).

It also had views of Point Richmond's hills and of the ships moving through the adjacent canal.

The Cafeteria (seen left) is the last of the original buildings; a plaque was mounted on it in 2000 to commemorate the College's 50th anniversary.